Microsoft Update

[Ch4rlie]

Bettas are perfectly fine in a 5 gal tank, though they can be kept in 2.5 gal tanks as well, but personally a 5 gal is my minimum preference with 10 gal being the ideal for a singe betta and perhaps some amano shrimps and nerite or an apple snail if betta is tolerant.

 

[NickAu]

New Light fot the tank $90, And I got ferts. Also am painting the back of the tank black.
 

 

[LyraGuppi]

Looks really nice, the new light really brings out his colors.

 

[NickAu]

He spends a lot of time in that corner looking around, That's where I feed him, And he has discovered that sometimes if he looks hard there may be a bit of shrimp or blood worm there, Geez he looks funny when he finds food and then tries to eat it.

 

[NickAu]

We got some rocks, Petrified Wood.
 

 

[LyraGuppi]

Looks very nice, Microsoft is a lucky fish!
 
Azul does the staring thing too. He'll sit at the bottom of the tank and stare really really hard at the sand, then he'll move to a different spot and repeat. He's a goof.

 

[NickAu]

He was just checking the tank temp.
 
I am thinking of getting him some Glass Shrimp  (Paratya australiensis) as tank mates. What's the worst he can do? Eat em.
 
https/www.livefish.com.au/tropicals/shrimp-and-crays/glass-shrimp.html
 
 
Also should I be air rating the tank?

 

[RCA]

Microsoft is one lucky fish, well done you.

I would highly recommend Amano Shrimp with Bettas as they are so fast I have yet to see the slow moving Betta catch them. I am not familiar with the Glass Shrimp you mention, yet did come across this article which is very comprehensive.
http/shrimpkeepersforum.com/forum/index.php/page/articles.html/_/shrimp-id/native-shrimp/paratya-australiensis-r38

With the Shrimp I would fasten an IAL to the rear of the tank as they like to graze on the biofilm. As the IAL begins to break down it takes on a skeletal appearance and looks cool.

Painting the back of the tank black is a neat idea, however, I would be tempted to use a Matt paint, so as not to distress Microsoft with his own reflection.

Another addition to the tank are snails, I like the Rabbit Snails.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/424772-betta-tank-upgrade-fluval-spec-19-litre/

I would not worry about adding any extra air to the tank. Your filter will do enough, plus Bettas are not strong swimmers, so they like little water movement.

Just watching the tennis from Melbourne. I love the Australian humour, and wonder if your next Betta will be an Apple?

 

[LyraGuppi]

Azul is with glass shrimp, he doesn't bother them unless they get in his way of staring.

 

[NickAu]

 
I love the Australian humour, and wonder if your next Betta will be an Apple?

No it would be Ubuntu, I only use Linux I called him Microsoft when he was in a community tank with Guppies, The guppie males were Mac ( as in Apple ) and  Linux the girls were Olivia Petra Rebecca And Quina ( Linux Mint Versions). However I hope Microsoft is around for a long time yet, The little mind controlling monster he is , He is teaching me a new trick, I place my finger on the water with a pellet of food, and he will eat it. He is also teaching me that when he looks pretty at the front of the tank, It's treat time and sometimes he even gets 1, No I am not over feeding him.
 
Daily intake
3 to 4 pelets depending on the and some bellow
Live wingless fruit flie, I catch these.
Frozen shrimp
Frozen  daphnia
Sometimes
Frozen bloodworms
I mix it up however his total daily portion size is the equivalent of 6 pellets of 
Aqua Delight 200g Betta Siamese Fighting Fish Food Pellet
This includes treats, sometimes I feed him a bit extra frozen about 2 pellets but it is a big tank and he is active and sometimes he misses out for a day.
 
Water temp 82 deg.
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
After playing around with rocks the shower bar and using the fern on the left as a gauge, I have been able to run the big filter at 200 lt/ph without making hardly any current when the floating fern moved I knew it was too much, seems Microsoft agrees. 
 
 
Where the tank is you can see it from the bathroom, I swear he was watching me when I got out of the shower, He loves blood worm and it was cold that day.

 
some of these would be nice......
https/www.livefish.com.au/tropicals/shrimp-and-crays/glass-shrimp-1209.html
https/www.livefish.com.au/tropicals/shrimp-and-crays/gold-shrimp-1cm.html
https/www.livefish.com.au/tropicals/shrimp-and-crays/cherry-shrimp-2cm.html
Say 1 of each, Could turn out to be expensive betta food.
 
Above all I want a tank that works well and is easy to maintain, reg water changes, A light gravel vac every now n then ( How much can 1 betta poop ) and that would be mostly used up by the plants and bacteria in the filter. Healthy fish happy fish. If it wasnt such a disturbance to the tank I would cover the old gravel with white finer gravel, I wish I had used white sand.
Could I tuck a bit of that java moss under part of a rock?

 

[RCA]

Ah dear Obi-Wan, I am so pleased that you have already learnt that it is the animal that trains you. Of course within the confines of an aquarium, you can do little harm, rather than start you off "taming" a lion

Images of you running around catching fruit flies is amusing, yet I know Microsoft with appreciate your efforts. Mine love live mosquito larvae too. Great he is getting a varied diet as I believe this is the best way to keep any fish. I am currently being rewarded with a lot of breeding activity within my aquariums.

I can assure you that the shrimp you are proposing will almost certainly be Betta food. Also, you would be better get more of one species so that they breed for you. Amano Shrimp are the only really fast and large shrimps I have had with my Bettas.

You can replace the substrate, YouTube it, and you will see how it can be done with a full tank. Beware of white sand as it will obviously show up every bit of dirt and shrimps poop too.

Java Moss is best tied onto the rock with cotton, which will rot or fishing line. You can even superglue it to the rock.

 

[NickAu]

 
Images of you running around catching fruit flies is amusing,

Nope I don't run, I built a fly trap.

 

 
yet I know Microsoft with appreciate your efforts.

Yes, He goes mental with excitement, He also loves ants.
 
 

 
You can even superglue it to the rock.

I can WOW ok.

 

[RCA]

Awesome trap, love it
What have you decided re: the shrimps?

 

[NickAu]

 
What have you decided re: the shrimps?

To quote Baccus, See I do read stuff.

 
Sorry I can not really testify to how hardy amano shrimp are since they are not allowed into Australia.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421348-amano-shrimp/?p=3556610
 
So it looks like some glass shrimp for now as they are cheap and if Microsoft eats them so be it, If on the other hand he dont then I will try some of those nice colourful ones.

 

[RCA]

Sounds like a plan with the glass shrimp. I have just added a breeder box to the side of my fry tank, there is a lot on the web about people using these for shrimp. Thus if you wanted you could get a few cherry shrimps and place them in one of these, which will take water from Microsofts tank, then once they have reproduced a fair amount you could add them on mass to the main aquarium hoping that Microsoft cannot get to them all?!?
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/437197-peacock-gudgeon-journey-of-the-fry/